1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a previewing method, which, in a device having a spooling function, enables print data based on a print request to be visually checked and edited immediately before printing, a previewing device which is suitable for implementation of the previewing method, and a recording media for causing a computer device to execute the previewing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, part of a process in a print control which is to be performed in a printing device such as a printer is generally performed in a host computer. For example, the host computer converts data based on a print request input from an application program (hereinafter, referred to as “AP”) into a print control code of a structure which can be read by the printing device, spools a print control code of a structure which can be read by the printing device, spools a print control code after conversion, and sends a despooled (inversely spooled) print control data to the printing device.
A spool process is performed in order to eliminate a waste waiting time period in a print control process which is due to a difference between the speed of sending a print control code to the printing device and the actual printing speed of the printing device. Specifically, a print control code is once written into a spool file, and the written print control code is read out asynchronously with the writing and then sent to the printing device. The writing and the reading are executed by independent tasks, respectively. Therefore, various kinds of added-value information for increasing the variety of print forms, such as a control code for overlapping printing a template data of a watermark, a stamp mark, or the like, and that for conducting allocation printing are often added to an actual print control code based on a print request. A “watermark” is a character(s) which is overlappingly printed in the background of printed characters or the like that are printed in accordance with instructions of the AP, in a color or a display form which is different from that of the printed characters. A “stamp mark” is a mark which is similar to a conventional stamp.
In related arts, after once the AP gives a print request or the host computer adds added-value information to the printing device, the user cannot check the finished condition of the actual printing before printing is actually output from the printing device. Some kinds of APs or host computers can display an image to be printed, on a displaying device. However, such a displayed image is not based on data which are sent to the printing device, and only an image which the AP or the like can know is displayed. In other words, the AP or the like cannot know added-value information of a watermark, allocation, and the like, and hence the displayed image fails to correctly reflect the finished condition of the actual printing.